Support for pictures, &amp;c.



PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

W. H. OLMSTEAD.

SUPPORT FOR PICTURES, (Tm.

APPLICATION FILED MAILZZ, 1905.

l/VVE/VTOR.

WITNESSES:

WILLIAM H. OLMSTEAD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SUPPORT FOR PICTURES, etc.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed March 22, 1905. Serial No. 251.379.

To all whom, it may ool'tccrn:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. OLMS'IEAD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Pictures, &c., of which the following .is a specilication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in wire supports for pictures, picture-frames, mirrors, and analogous articles which it is desired to support in an upright position upon a table, mantel, or other surface; and its object is to provide a device formed of wire which is so bent as to form a very rigid and stiff support not liable to become bent or broken and which will not twist or spring out of shape under the load of the article supported by it or get out of square with it.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a device having no projecting ends or parts to become interlocked and entangled in shipping the devices in quantities.

To this end the invention consists in forming the supporting-arm with a closed loop at each end, the loop at one end adapted to be pivotally secured by clips to the article to be supported and the loop at the opposite end forming an extended foot or broadened base portion to engage the table and in forming the middle portion by extending the ends of the wire in opposite directions along said portion and twisting this portion into a round to secure said ends and make this portion rigid, all as more fully shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention and showing the same attached to a picture or similar article, and in use. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the wire bent into shape to form the supporting-arm and in position to be twisted to form the middle portion thereof. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the finished supporting-arm; and Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3, showing a modified construction.

As shown in the drawings, A represents a picture, picture-frame, mirror, or other similar article supported in an upright position by the supporting-arm B, which is pivotally attached to the back of the picture by the clips 0.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is shown a supportingarm formed of a single piece of wire which is bent to form a closed loop 1 at the upper end of the arm, having straight horizontal portions 2, adapted to pass through the clips (1, by means of which it is attached to the picture, and between these horizontal portions is formed a small loop 3, which is bent laterally out of the plane of loop 1 to form a stop to engage the back of the picture and prevent further turning of said arm in its bearingclips away from said back. The wire is also bent to form a closed loop or broadened end portion 4: at the lower end of the arm, the lower or cross run 5 of the wire forming the loop being curved upward, so that it will contact the table or other support at its ends or the extreme sides of the loop only, thus forming the supporting-legs 6. The middle portion 7 of the arm which joins these end loops is formed by the straight end portion 8 of the wire, which is extended downward from loop 1 to the upper end of the lower loop, the opposite end portion 9, which extends upward from the lower loop to the upper loop, overlapping the end 8 and the straight intermediate portion 10 of the wire connecting the loops, these overlapping ends and the intermediate straight portion being all twisted together into a round, making a very stiifmiddle portion for the arm and securely fastening the ends of the wire.

In Figs. 4: and 5 is shown asupporting-arm which is made of two pieces of wire instead of a continuous piece, one piece being formed intermediate its ends with a loop the same as loop 1 and having its end portions 11 and 12 extending downward from said loop parallel to each other. The other piece is similarly formed intermediate its ends with a loop like the loop 4 and with upwardly-extending parallel end portions 13 and 14 of the same length as the ends 11 and 12, said ends of each piece being overlapped and all twisted together to form the intermediate or middle portion 15 of the arm. This construction also efi'ectually secures the ends of the wires and makes a very stilf middle portion, there being in this construction four runs of the wire twisted together.

Clips 0 are shown for pivotally attaching the support to the picture; but any other suitable means may be employed, and the form of the loops may be changed, if desired, the invention consisting in forming closed loops at each end of the arm to make the ends rigid and to prevent the interlocking and entanglement of these devices when shipped together in large numbers and in forming the intermediate portion in the-manner described to secure the ends of the wire and to give it rigidity.

Having thus fully described my invention, what 1 claim isl. A, support for pictures, &c., consisting of a supporting-arm formed of wire bent to form a closed loop at each end of the arm with the ends of the wire extending from one loop toward the other to form the middle portion of the arm connecting the loops, and means for engaging one of the loops to pivotally attach the same to the article to be supported.

2. A support for pictures, &c., consisting of a supporting-arm formed of wire bent to form'a closed loop at each end and a connecting middle portion formed by extending the ends of the wire in opposite directions along said middle portion and twisting said portion to secure the ends, and means for engaging one of the loops to pivotally attach the same to the article to be supported.

3. A support for pictures, &c., consisting of a supporting-arm formed of wire bent to form a closed loop at each end of the arm and the ends of the wire being overlapped and twisted together to form the middle portion of the arm connecting the loops, and means for engaging one of the loops to pivotally'attach the same to the article to be supported.

4. A support for pictures, &JC., consisting of a supporting-arm formed of a continuous piece. of wire having an intermediate portion and end portions twisted together to form the middle portion of the arm, and having the portions between said intermediate portion' I supported.

5. A support for pictures, 850., consisting of a supporting-arm formed of a continuous piece of wire formed with an intermediate portion and overlapping end portions twisted together to form the middle portion of the arm and with loops between the intermediate portion of the wire and the end portions thereof at the ends of the middle portion of the arm, and means for attaching one of the loops to the article to be supported.

6. A support for pictures, &c., consisting of a supporting-arm formed of a continuous piece of wire bent to form overlapping end portions of equallength and an intermediate portion which portions are twisted together and form the middle portion of the arm and to form loops at the ends of said arm, one of said loops being provided with horizontal straight portions with a small loop between forming a stop, and the other loop being formed with an inwardly-curved lower side to form downwardly-projecting legs, said clips engaging the straight portions of the loop to attach the arm to the article to be supported.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. OLMSTEAD. l/Vitnesses:

OTTO F. BARTHEL, PAUL MILLER. 

